Color Fun Run

The 5k Color Fun Run featured plenty of youth last Saturday morning as the event kicked off many events that day.

The three mile and one-mile running events featured 95 runners and walkers on the scenic trail that featured a scenic look at the local parks around the town of Malta. There were runners from other Hi-Line towns including Glasgow and Nashua.

“We had fifty people that pre-registered and over 40 today,” Malta Parks and Recreation Co-Director Julia Tatafu said.

The event was to raise funds for the Malta Parks and Recreation Department, which has brought many sporting kids and co-ed events back to the community including soccer, softball, kickball, dodgeball and basketball.

“It helps us operate our department with all of the activities we have going on,” Tatafu said. “This way we can bring in even more activities and events.”

Nikki Nicholson, a student at Malta Middle School was the first to cross the line for the 5k runners.

“It was fun, tiring, very tiring,” Nicholson said.

Nicholson is a distance runner for the middle school track team so she knew how to approach the event and that approach helped her along the way.

“Start off strong and finish strong,” Nicholson said.

She even shared advice for those that have not run a 5k but might be thinking about it.

“Practice,” she said admitting that the furthest she had run was two-miles prior to the event.

Of course there are a few exceptions, like physical therapist Bridget Kluck.

“I’m pretty proud of myself because I didn’t train for this,” Kluck said.

Nicholson was one of many runners that ran the 5k. Right behind her was fellow Malta Middle School track athlete Parker Mortenson, who finished second. A few runners behind was young Regan Stuart.

Stuart finished before several adult runners.

“I just ran,” Stuart said.

Stuart also ran in last year’s event as a five mile runner. He also had advice for those that were interested in taking up running.

“I would just say good job and keep going,” Stuart said.

The run featured five color stations; red, blue, green, orange and purple. The 5k runners voted on their favorite station and t his year’s winner was Independence Bank or the purple station.

Kluck shared that the purple station was her favorite.

“I liked the purple station because they had music,” Kluck said.

Nicholson shared her favorite stations at the race.

“I had two,” Nicholson said. “The one at the bottom of Hillcrest (orange) and the last one (purple).”

Getting powdered with color isn’t something that happens to Nicholson every time she runs, so she shared how it affected her running.

“It’s not that bad, actually,” Nicholson said. “Because the wind just blows it away.”

Stuart, shorter in height had red powder caked on his face.

He mentioned that he felt good about it and did not want to throw color back at the throwers.

The trail the runners took was different from last year’s event and the change included a treacherous trail but the new trail also had its perks.

“I liked how they had all of the colors spread out instead of all together like they did last year and it was a beautiful day,” Ann Sautter said.

Sautter mentioned that the toughest part of the run was going up Short Oil Road.

“It’s uphill and I’m old,” she said with a laugh.

The event also featured a bounce house donated from the Salsbery Brothers for the event.

Local banks and Malta Trails donated the colors and hosted tables for the event. Albertsons donated water and Darla’s 3 Sisters donated prizes for the event.

“We just appreciate their help and their participation in this as well as our volunteers,” Tatafu said. “We could not have done something like this without our volunteers.”